Strega Prize, the winner tonight: who are the finalists and how to watch the ceremony live

Tonight, Thursday 3 July, the Strega Prize will be awarded at the Ninfeo di Villa Giulia in Rome. Five books are finalists , although there is a super favourite on whom many are betting.

The finalists

According to rumors gathered among industry insiders, the verdict seems already written: with 280 votes collected on the evening of June 4 at the Teatro Romano in Benevento - more than any other competitor - and the unanimous acclaim of critics and readers, Andrea Bajani with his novel 'L'appello' is in pole position to receive the coveted bottle of Liquore Strega. The success obtained with the Strega Giovani - awarded by over 100 Italian and international schools - has added further impetus to his race.

Bajani, presented by Emanuele Trevi - the same one who beat him in the 2021 final - could symbolically close a circle, returning from challenger to favorite. But the path is not without pitfalls: with 226 votes, Nadia Terranova with 'Quello che so di te' (Guanda) is considered his main antagonist, while Elisabetta Rasy with 'Perduto è questo mare' (Rizzoli), 205 votes, Paolo Nori with 'Chiudo la porta e urlo' (Mondadori), 180 votes and the surprising Michele Ruol with 'Inventario di quel che resta dopo che la foresta brucia' (TerraRossa), 180 votes, complete a top five in which each book has a strong identity and a story to tell.

The jury

The Prize will be awarded by a jury composed of the votes of the 400 Friends of Sunday , to which are added as usual 245 voters from abroad selected by 35 Italian Cultural Institutes in the world (each of which express 7 jurors among scholars, translators and enthusiasts of our language and literature), 25 collective votes from schools, universities and reading circles of the Libraries of Rome, 30 votes from strong readers chosen from the world of professions and entrepreneurship. The last hundred votes will be counted one by one until the author of the winning book is announced. The chair of the polling station will be Donatella di Pietrantonio , winner of the last edition.

The absence of Minister Giuli: "Perhaps from a Sunday Friend I have become an enemy"

The Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli , will not be among those present at the final ceremony due to a two-day institutional trip to Germany, July 3 and 4, where he will meet the German Minister of Culture. "I was invited to the evening of the awards ceremony - Giuli explained to Adnkronos who questioned him on the matter - but unlike in the past, I have not received any signal from the Bellonci Foundation, nor a candidate book, after my appointment as Minister of Culture. Perhaps as a minister, from 'Friend of Sunday', I have become 'enemy of Sunday'". "Therefore I will not be present - added Giuli - I have scheduled a trip to Germany for a meeting with the German Minister of Culture".

Minister Giuli, however, plays it down with irony: "The evening of the Strega Prize will be beautiful all the same. Maybe a little less fun, without Geppi Cucciari and Alessandro Giuli".

The award ceremony live on TV

Pino Strabioli is the host of the final event of the 2025 Strega Prize, which will be broadcast live on Rai 3 tonight from 10:50 p.m., with guests Anna Foglietta and Filippo Timi . During the final evening, Anna Foa will also be interviewed, recent winner of the first edition of the Strega Prize for Non-fiction with 'Il dottrina di Israele' (Laterza).